RDI-3338 - Several improvements in AC4 decoder

.github/workflows/python-app.yml

@@ -18,10 +18,10 @@ jobs:
 
     steps:
     - name: Checkout repository
-      uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      uses: actions/checkout@v5
 
     - name: Set up Python
-      uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+      uses: actions/setup-python@v6
       with:
         python-version: '3.10'
 
@@ -56,9 +56,9 @@ jobs:
       - commit-validation
 
     steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v5
     - name: Set up Python 3.7
-      uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+      uses: actions/setup-python@v6
       with:
         python-version: 3.7
     - name: Install dependencies
@@ -78,9 +78,9 @@ jobs:
       - commit-validation
 
     steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v5
     - name: Set up Python 3.13
-      uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+      uses: actions/setup-python@v6
       with:
         python-version: 3.13
     - name: Install dependencies
@@ -100,9 +100,9 @@ jobs:
       - commit-validation
 
     steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v5
     - name: Set up Python 3.7
-      uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+      uses: actions/setup-python@v6
       with:
         python-version: 3.7
     - name: Install dependencies

.github/workflows/release.yml

@@ -14,9 +14,9 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
 
     steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v5
     - name: Set up Python 3.7
-      uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+      uses: actions/setup-python@v6
       with:
         python-version: 3.7
     - name: Install dependencies
@@ -52,9 +52,9 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
 
     steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v5
     - name: Set up Python 3.13
-      uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+      uses: actions/setup-python@v6
       with:
         python-version: 3.13
     - name: Install dependencies
@@ -90,9 +90,9 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: windows-2022
 
     steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v5
     - name: Set up Python 3.7
-      uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+      uses: actions/setup-python@v6
       with:
         python-version: 3.7
     - name: Install dependencies
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ jobs:
 
     steps:
     - name: Checkout repository at workflow sha
-      uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      uses: actions/checkout@v5
       with:
         fetch-depth: 0
         ref: ${{ github.sha }}
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ jobs:
         github_token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
         changelog: true
     - name: Set up Python 3.7
-      uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+      uses: actions/setup-python@v6
       with:
         python-version: '3.7'
         cache: pip

Makefile

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 CONTRIB_DIR=contrib
 DECODERS_DIR=decoders
 PYTHONPATH=.
+AC4_DECODER_BIN ?= $(HOME)/Downloads/decoder_reference_app_linux_x86_64
 FLUSTER=python3 ./fluster.py -tsd check
 ifeq ($(OS),Windows_NT)
 FLUSTER+=--no-emoji
@@ -248,11 +249,38 @@ endif
 
 	sudo rm -f /usr/include/asm
 
+ac4_reference_decoder: ## install AC4 Dolby reference decoder (requires Dolby customer credentials - NOT included in all_reference_decoders)
+	$(create_dirs)
+	@if [ ! -f "$(AC4_DECODER_BIN)" ]; then \
+		echo "ERROR: AC4 reference decoder binary not found at '$(AC4_DECODER_BIN)'"; \
+		echo ""; \
+		echo "This decoder requires Dolby customer credentials to download."; \
+		echo "1. Log in to the Dolby customer portal (credentials required):"; \
+		echo "   https://customer.dolby.com/licensing-resources/technologies/dolby-pro-audio-decoder-software-development-kit-v45/downloads/tools/decoder_reference_app/linux/x86_64"; \
+		echo "2. Download 'decoder_reference_app_linux_x86_64'"; \
+		echo "3. Run: make ac4_reference_decoder AC4_DECODER_BIN=/path/to/decoder_reference_app_linux_x86_64"; \
+		exit 1; \
+	fi
+	cp $(AC4_DECODER_BIN) $(DECODERS_DIR)/decoder_reference_app_linux_x86_64
+	chmod +x $(DECODERS_DIR)/decoder_reference_app_linux_x86_64
+
 clean: ## remove contrib temporary folder
 	rm -rf $(CONTRIB_DIR)
 
 dbg-%:
 	echo "Value of $* = $($*)"
 
-.PHONY: help all_reference_decoders h264_reference_decoder h265_reference_decoder h266_reference_decoder\
-mpeg_4_aac_reference_decoder mpeg_4_aac_error_resilient_reference_decoder mpeg_2_aac_reference_decoder mpeg_2_video_reference_decoder check install_deps clean
+.PHONY: help \
+	all_reference_decoders \
+	h264_reference_decoder \
+	h265_reference_decoder \
+	h266_reference_decoder \
+	h266_vvdec_decoder \
+	mpeg_2_aac_reference_decoder \
+	mpeg_2_video_reference_decoder \
+	mpeg_4_aac_reference_decoder \
+	mpeg_4_aac_error_resilient_reference_decoder \
+	ac4_reference_decoder \
+	check \
+	install_deps \
+	clean

fluster/decoders/ac4_decoder_reference.py

@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 # Fluster - testing framework for decoders conformance
-# Copyright (C) 2020, Fluendo, S.A.
-#  Author: Pablo Marcos Oltra <pmarcos@fluendo.com>, Fluendo, S.A.
-#  Author: Andoni Morales Alastruey <amorales@fluendo.com>, Fluendo, S.A.
+# Copyright (C) 2026, Fluendo, S.A.
+#  Author: Pablo Garcia Sancho <pgarcia@fluendo.com>, Fluendo, S.A.
 #
 # This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
 # modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License
@@ -29,6 +28,7 @@ class DolbyPADSDecoder(Decoder):
     description = "AC-4 Dolby Pro Audio Decoder Software Development Kit reference decoder implementation"
     binary = "decoder_reference_app_linux_x86_64"
     codec = Codec.AC4
+    is_reference = True
 
     def decode(
         self,